In the Wake of Santorum, Catholics Must Not Retreat From Political Participation Comments
After Rick Santorum suspended his Presidential campaign I received numerous E-Mails.This comment worried me and prompted this article, "Politics saves no one. My focus will return to the religious/spiritual." We are called to integrated Christian lives of moral coherence. Continue Reading
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Your "vote" tells where you stand on issues and your beliefs as a Catholic and as a citizen more than anything else. Vote for Obama who will continue to "secularize" this country as he chooses in his personal beliefs and who will force all us to accede to his will and desire in all issues - or vote for the opposition who will allow us Catholics to maintain our beliefs and allow all citizens in the country to maintain "choices" in issues.
I'm not a particular advocate of Romney, but I have as yet to see anything that makes me believe that if elected, he would intend to impose any of his beliefs in Mormonism upon anybody in the country, and/or strip any religious views and beliefs from anyone else. I haven't seen where he would "force" everyone to buy health insurance that covered items many don't believe in or want or don't desire. Or "force" a business to provide health care coverage as he demands, as Obama does. Or put anyone in a position on any issue to where they would have to choose between their personal beliefs or his or suffer some loss in individual rights, as Obama does.
In the words of Ronald Reagan: "We can no longer be shy." Shy was an all right word for that time. But times have changed. I'm sure if Ronald Reagan were alive today, he would say, "We can no longer be SILENT." God bless.
Pope Benedict, our holy Father is a true leader, getting all of us to do what we did not want to do-unify! We are so busy debating the mysteries of faith that we forget we are all called to follow the path of Jesus Christ. We look at the Old Testament Church and find it was led by Yahweh Himself. Yahweh allowed a human leader only because the people asked for it! We need a drastic change, we need Yahweh to lead us. I vote Yahweh for president!
Pete, as always, it's hard to argue with such a excellent post. You speak the truth. I agree that now is not the time to walk away, even thought I have to be honest with you, it's exactly what I want to do. Between the percentage of Americans who do not vote, power of the special interests and the new found power of the wealthy (although I'm sure they always had it) via Citizens United, I'm not sure our involvement is going to make a dent anymore.
The HHS and Obama's attack on the church should be a wake up call to action. A Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon and militant anti-Catholic named Justice Hugo Black coined the term 'Separation of Church and State' in 1948. He was in fact a hard core Marxist which is the reason Franklin Roosevelt selected him for the Supreme Court. We Catholics need to toss the Marxist clap trap aside and get out their in the political arena. It's very easy. Make signs and stand on a busy street corner and let your voice be heard and seen.
To me, the answer is simple. Hope springs eternal and so does the Truth of God's Love. The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory are His, forever and ever. We as Catholics MUST stand together to help stop the HHS Mandate. It is our responsibility to be active participants. To fight the good fight the best we can, with what we resources we have available to us. "Never to be squandered, the miracle of another human being." (Author source unknown at this time.) Pray unceasingly
The topic is government and our participation in it. What is "good government?" The author of this article, Mr. Fournier, rightfully offers us yet again the "Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church" for our consideration and action. I cannot, in the main, disagree with it. But too often the social doctrine of the Church is used for purposes other than what the Church might have intended and I would like to head of that abuse by offering the following thought: "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their consciences." Some are already familiar with these words but I wonder if others would check the box as to their being 1.) a liberal, 2.) a conservative, or perhaps 3.) a libertarian perspective? As Catholics we believe in Jesus Christ as the "way, the truth, and the life." Is there no pervasive truth by which we might govern ourselves, informed by our Catholic faith? I say there is, and it is not liberal, nor conservative, nor apolitical. There is a unique and unshakeable congruity between our Catholic faith and these words: "endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... the Right of the People... to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles... ." Those principles are not found, and cannot be found, in a pluralistic society, much less a pluralistic approach to "good government." I know that not a few would disagree. Modernism tells them otherwise. But I would turn to history. And, in particular, to that noted Catholic historian, Hilaire Belloc. In his "Crisis of Civilization" he says that the "prime factor of unity in any society, large or small, is for all members of that society, to hold the same philosophy, to put human affairs in the same order of importance, and to be agreed on the prime matters of right and wrong and of public worship." Belloc was able to state this because he observed history. He wrote in that same "Crisis" that as "the Roman Empire declined and went through its conversion, there occurred the Determining Thing - whether he passionately approve or hate the event (as most men will who do not approve it), it remains a historical fact that no such construction has appeared before or since. The society of the ancient world was not changed from its antique attitude by any mood or opinion; it was transformed by adherence to the doctrine and discipline, as well as the spirit and character of a certain institution, it is a Personality which can be tested by certain indisputable attributes, practices, and definitions - it claimed and claims Divine authority - it was Christianity." In that 'Determining Thing' he observed that: "the Catholic Church brought to the old, ruined, dying, despairing Graeco-Roman world, the quality of vision. It did two capital things that arrested the descent of the old Graeco-Roman society into chaos; it humanized slavery and it strengthened permanent marriage. The Church never denied the right to own slaves, but it was the spirit of the Church which gradually transformed their condition. It became difficult, often impossible, to deal with a baptized Christian man as a chattel, emancipation was fostered as a high act of charity." He would further observe that there "was no economic reason for the decay of the old servitude and the increase of personal position and freedom. It is the Mind which determines the change of Society, and the mind at work was the Catholic mind - that the slave became a serf and was on his way to becoming a peasant and a fully free man - a man free economically as well as politically." The Catholic Mind. Not pluralism. The Catholic Mind. That Mind is well worth bringing into the discussion of what produces and constitutes "good government."
Dig deeper. That Santorum has ostensibly withdrawn his candidacy is no excuse for any Catholic to just 'kick the can down the road' and similarly withdraw from the political process as if nothing else can be done. Principles alone, Catholic ones and those of the Founding Fathers, ought to compel us to fight for what is right. But if that, and the words of Keith Fournier, are not enough, then perhaps these words had better: "It is the 'duty of citizens' to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom. The love and service of 'one's country' follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity. Submission to legitimate authorities and service of the common good require citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2239). In fact I recommend a review of CCC 2234-2246.
AM I on Catholic Online? Where Practicing Catholics are Supposed to Love their neighbor no matter their religious belief? I can not believe what I hear about Romney and Mormonism. And yes, I am more than enlightened on that religion. I do not believe he will turn souls to Mormonism anymore than Kennedy did to Catholicism. Let's get real. As I said before, Romney is not my choice. But if it takes the GOP to get him out, then so be it. A third Party would only keep Obama in office. Easter Blessings...
CCS, I completely forgot about my "comment" and stumbled upon it again and your comment as well. I completely understand your concerns. In fact, I thought you were initially saying that it would be OK to vote for Obama, but not Romney. that is why I responded. I do think you need to take a few things into account however. I personally don't like Romney too much myself, but he is not running on the basis of becoming America's pastor ( or converting America to Mormonism for that matter). In a certain sense, in contrast, Obama is pushing his religion (anti-conscience laws, abortion, etc) onto the American population. In either case, we are only called to disrespect "authority" or stand against it when that authority in some manner causes us to "disobey" God. (In both Romans and 1 Timothy, St. Paul urges us to be obedient and submissive to the ruling authorities, for these have been placed by God and are the hand of God). In the case of contraception or abortion, that is certainly the case. In American democracy, however, as in other democracies around the world, it is "we the people" who elect these authorities to power. So, God uses us in a certain sense to place these authorities in power. therefore we not only have the right, but must exercise all our power to elect those authorities who do not cause us to disobey God or place a burden on the faithful to worship other gods. The religion of the Romans was not any less inspired by demons (see 1 Corinthians 10), but St. Paul for that matter and St. Peter did not ask Christians to go around despising these authorities or in any way suggesting that Christians who follow the laws of the land will go to hell, unless again those laws directly contradict the law of God.
In any case, I understand your concerns, but just because we have 2 options that are both non-Christian, it does not mean we let the country go to anarchy. I grew up in India, where all our Prime Ministers have been Hindu. If all the Christians in India never voted for anyone because they were not Christian, what kind of a witness would we be sending the nation or the world?